1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for emitting light in ice, and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for emitting light in ice, which are applied to a decorative ice wall surface, an ice decorating using an ice pillar, an ice carving and the like in an ice skating rink, a hotel lobby and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has become difficult to attain a satisfactory customer attracting capacity with the conventional skating rink for a mere skating in the field of the skating rinks for the leisure under the influence of the diversification of the leisure industry in recent years. More specifically, in the ice skating rink making the entertainment business the first object, needless to say that the quality of ice on the rink is improved, and moreover, various elaborate plans are devised as added functions of the rink in such a manner that various patterns are drawn by use of colors in the ice and a material reflecting light from outside is taken into the ice. Furthermore, even in the ice skating rink for sports events, there are used methods of coloring in the ice for drawing lines such as a track line for the speed skating, a line for a game of ice hockey, and the like. Additionally, in some indoor skating rink or other, lightings by a laser beam, a cocktail light, a mirror ball and the like are projected from a top space on the ceiling so as to improve the amusement value in the indoor ice skating rink.
As a method of emitting the light in the ice, it is devisable that light emitting means such as electric bulbs are embedded in the ice and turned on. However, with the above-described light-emitting means, a water-proof measure is required for emission sources thereof, the temperature of ice is raised by the heat from the emission sources, thus causing the ice to be melted. Furthermore, if a skater jumps on the ice skating rink or a rink cleaning car passes through the rink, then an excessively high load acts on the emission sources, thus possibly damaging the electric bulbs and the like.
Further, since the light is emitted in the ice, there is a possibility that the light emitting effect being fit for decoration cannot be attained due to the degree of transparency of the ice, etc., the type and brightness, etc. of the lightings.
It is proposed that the apparatus for emitting light in the ice is of such an arrangement that a heat insulating material is laid on a base floor, the aforesaid emission sources are rested on the heat insulating material, water is gradually frozen by cooling pipes and fixed in the form of ice. However, a mere locating of the emission sources on the floor presents the disadvantages that the irradiating surfaces of the emission sources are crooked during the process of solidification of the ice, and the intervals between the emission sources are shifted to be irregular, whereby a figure to be drawn is distorted, so that clearness is lost. In the ice skating rinks, normally, it takes about one week to finish the skating surface. In consequence, it is impossible to set up the emission sources again unless the whole surface of the ice skating rink is molten when the emission sources are shifted or distorted in the ice, and unclear portions or deformed portions are formed in predetermined figures and patterns.
Furthermore, with the emission apparatus of the type described, in the case of incandescent bulbs for example, the scattering of light in the ice is high, whereby most of the emitted light quantity is scattered in the ice, so that the emission apparatus proves to be very low in the efficiency in drawing the figure, straight line and the like. Further, if the quantity of scattered light is excessively high, then such a disadvantage that the pattern to be drawn cannot be discriminated is presented.
Furthermore, the apparatus for emitting the light in the ice is utilized not only for the ice skating rink but also for a decorative ice. The decorative ice is used for raising interest in halls of wedding ceremony, various shows and the like. With these decorative ices, there are presented the disadvantages of the melting of ice and non-easiness in visual inspection of the light emitting bodies in the same manner as in the ice skating rink.